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Machinists at Northwest Air
Reject Tentative Contract

By

Susan Carey Staff Reporter of The Wall Street Journal

Updated Aug. 6, 1998 12:01 a.m. ET

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- A majority of the Machinists union members at Northwest Airlines rejected a tentative labor contract and authorized union leaders to call a strike if further negotiations with the carrier reach an impasse.

The four big bargaining units within the International Association of Machinists union voted down their individual contracts by majorities of 66% to 84%, the union said. Those groups include mechanics, ground workers, clerical employees and reservations and ticket agents. Only 130 flight-kitchen...